Jerry Seinfeld Tackles Movie About the Sugary Battle for the Invention of the Pop-Tart

Remind Staff March 28, 2024

Unfrosted: The Pop-Tart Story from left: Jim Gaffigan, Jerry Seinfeld, Fred Armisen, Melissa McCarthy, 2024 — John P. Johnson/Netflix/Everett Collection

In August of 2018, Jerry Seinfeld posted something on Twitter (now called X) that seemed to be a funny enough thought, but nothing to take especially seriously: “At one point I was thinking about an invention of the Pop Tart movie. Imagine the drunk on sugar-power Kellogg’s cereal culture of the mid-60’s in Battle Creek, MI. That’s a vibe I could work with.”

UNFROSTED - (L to R) Jerry Seinfeld (Director) as Bob Cabana, Adrian Martinez as Tom Carvel, Jack McBrayer as Steve Schwinn, Thomas Lennon as Harold Von Braunhut, Bobby Moynihan as Chef Boyardee and James Marsden as Jack LaLanne in Unfrosted.

John P. Johnson/Netflix

Turns out, the comedian was not joking. Almost six years later, we now have a film about how Pop-Tarts, those tasty breakfast pastries that came about in 1964. The film stars Seinfeld, who also directed, co-wrote, and co-produced it. Seinfeld revealed that he has been obsessed with Pop-Tarts for his whole life and added, “My friend Spike Feresten, who was a writer on my show and is still a good friend of mine, thought we should make a movie out of the story, the real story, which we did.”

UNFROSTED. (L to R) Christian Slater as Mike Diamond and Jerry Seinfeld (Director) as Bob Cabana in Unfrosted.

John P. Johnson/Netflix

Set in 1963 in Battle Creek, Michigan, Unfrosted tells the story of the cutthroat and breakneck race between sworn cereal rivals Kellogg’s and Post to invent a pastry that would change the face of breakfast forever. Netflix describes the film as “a tale of ambition, betrayal, sugar and menacing milkmen.” That tongue-in-cheek description is a good indicator that while this movie may be based on real events, it takes a comedic approach to them. A look at the actors in it is another sign. The cast features several of Seinfeld’s fellow comedians/actors, including Melissa McCarthy, Jim Gaffigan, Amy Schumer, Bill Burr, Hugh Grant, James Marsden, Christian Slater, Daniel Levy, Jack McBrayer, Bobby Moynihan, Thomas Lennon, Max Greenfield, Cedric Yarbrough, Sarah Cooper, and Fred Armisen.

UNFROSTED. Hugh Grant as Thurl in Unfrosted.

John P. Johnson/Netflix

The film will also incorporate other snack mascots as Grant is listed as Tony the Tiger and Yarbrough as Toucan Sam, with other actors playing everyone from the Doublemint Twins and Little Debbie to General Mills and Ralston Purina.

Seinfeld confirmed that the film will be over-the-top. He said, “There are elements of truth, obviously quite a bit is also fabricated. I would say 99% is fabricated, which was the fun of it. But I love the idea of serious people working on cereal and with suits and ties and talking about Pop-Tarts and cereal and eating cereal. I’ve always loved cereal.”